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ISTORY
; tT v ■ * / j ' a * • • - > • ■ \ ■ nkif£- ' • • i .'ft*
Of the raoft Remarkable
Peftilential Difiempers
That have appeared in Europe
for Three Hundred Years laft.paft ;
WITH
What proved Successful or Hurtful
I in their CURE, (
l s
TOGETHER
With the Method of Prevention and Cure
of the PLAGUE,
Founded upon the Experience of thofe who were
Practitioners when it raged.
Laid down in fuch a Manner that the Generality of
People may be able to manage themfelves.
■' V-
*$!$. \
i S 1
ana
By R. RROOKES M. D.
The Sweating-Sicknefs * * * * * was mojl probably of a Foreign
Original, and no other than a Plague abated in its Violence by
the mild 'Temperament of our Climate .
Mead’s Short Difcourfe.
LONDON ,
Printed for A. Corbett, at the Old Hand and Ten,, over
■ /
againft the Chapel in Ruffel-Coun , near Covent-Garden 5
*, and J. Roberts, near the Oxford- Arms in Warwick-
t 'Lane, M.dcc.xxL
(Price Sixpence.)
PREFACE.
HO EVER writes with
any tolerable Succefs upon
the P l a g u e, wtift found
his Opinions upon the Ob-
fervauons and. Experience of
his Predeceffors ; for they
alone -are able to inform us
pf the different Fortune of a various "Prac¬
tice, and the fever al Lryals that have been
made to weaken the Force of fo formidable
an Enemy to Mankind.
If this be true, as undoubtedly it is, the
deader will not be difpleafed to find that
he has a good deal of Labour faved in
turning over Variety of IBooks , and infiead
A 2 of
( 4 ) s
of having Observations Scattered here and
there, he may now behold them with one
View.
In tranflating what I here prefent you ,
thd* I have made confiderable Contraptions ,
I have omitted no material Circumfiance
that would either explain the Nature of the
Difea fe or the Manner of its Cure ; and if
my Authors had been more particular , I
might have be^en fo too .
What I have / aid in the Second Part, I
have Authority for ; and I believe as good
as any Per [on elfe can have .
PART
PART,!
A H/ftory of the mofl Re¬
markable Peftilential Dif-
tempers, &c.
HEP lag tie is a Subject of fo great
Importance to Mankind, that whoever
lincerely endeavours to weaken its Force
or {lop its Frogrefs , is iufficiently excufed
in the Attempt, tho* he ihould not meet
with any extraordinary Succefs.
However fpecious or conclufive the
Reafonings of fome may be, yet they
fatisfy us no farther than they have Experience for
their Foundation j becaufe whatever is not built upon
that, mull needs be uncertain and precarious. Tofearch
after the hidden Caufes of Things, to give probable
Guefles in abilrufe Matters, may, indeed, anfwer the
Ends of Oftentation and Vain-glory , and pleafe fome cu¬
rious and inquifkive Minds 5 but the Fears and the, Suf¬
ferings of Mankind call for fomething more: While a
mofl dreadful Enemy of Mankind rages, and impe-
riouily threatens the Death of Thoufands, there is no
time left for empty Speculations and idle Amufements 5 all
Aids are to be fummon’d, all Methods try’d, that if
pofiible one way or other this Deilroyer of Mankind may
be vanquifhkb
Plow ever,
(6)
However, no o7ie \ Method , how promffing foever, can
be fecure enough wherewith to trull the Welfare of Mil¬
lions of People, unlefs that one Method were infallibly
certain, which it is not pofiible any fhould be that have
not been try’d ; Befides, it is not fufficient, as fome Peo¬
ple feem to imagine, to call a Deftruflive Diftemper by
the name of the Plague , and then to give the Remedies
for that Diftemper in general. We cannot be fure that
Diftempers which to very dilcerning Eyes feem to have
the fame Symptoms, requite the fame Method of Cure 3
much lefs ought we to adhere to one uniform Way, of
fraclice, where the Difeale puts on Variety of Shapes:
And if we may believe Dr. Mead *, the fame Diftemper
that is call’d the Plague in France , may put on another
Drefs, and in England become the Szveati ng-Si ch nej '$.
It does indeed feem to be very probable, that the
fame Diitemper may put on different Appearances, or in
other words, that the fame Caufe may produce various
E£fe£ts 3 for the fame real on, that an equal Quantity of
the fame Medicine has different Operations upon different
Bodies. ” j
To be well guarded therefore, we fhould be able to
know and overcome our Enemy under all . Difguijes , at
leail under all thole that we have had any Account he
has yet appeared : This I take to be the moft cautious
and prudent Way of Proceeding 3 for let us be attack’d
on which fide we will, we fhall in fome meafure b©
prepared to ward off the Blows, and defend ourfelves
againft the Affault.
When any new Diitemper appears, Phyficians are com¬
monly at a lofs what to do, or how to proceed, till a
fufficient number of Experiments have been try’d, which
may enable them to do more than guefs at a Method of
Cure. But if they find any old Diforder to which they
may compare the new, tho’ not alike in every Particu¬
lar, they with good Reafon conclude, that what has
prevail’d againfl that, is moil likely to prevail againft
this.
I think then it is very plain we cannot be too well
armed againft Contagious Diftempers of any fort, much
lei s againft the moft deftruBhe 3 and if I can give any
tolerable History of them, the Prefervathes againft
* See his fieri Dfcourfe, p. 6,
them,
(?)
them, and the Cure of thofe that were infe£led, I ihall
not contribute the lead toward fo valuable a Purpcfe,
And what makes fuch an Attempt more neceffary, is,
that nothing is more common than to give the fame
Names to Difeafes very unlike. Thus Crato affirms,
that after 30 Years diligent Obfervation, the Hungaric
Difeafe never returned with the fame Symptoms that it
had before, as Volins * reports. Sennertus f makes it
the E {fence of a Flague to be Contagious and Mortal $ fo
that if it be attended with a Fever, Raving, Watchings
Head-Ach , profound Sleep , Ulcers op the Mouth , Quinfy ,
Fletirijy , Vomiting., Loojenefs , 'Jaundice, Buboes, Carbuncles
and Spots of various kinds, yet h£ comprehends them
under the general Name of the Flague ; for, fays he, it
is not the Quinfy that fuffocates, the Fever that kills,
but the Flague.
Dr. Willis ** in his Defcription of the Flague brings in
Buboes and Carbuncles, and yet without doubt that was
properly a Flague which Heurnius jf fpeaks of, which
happened in the Year 1445, when People dropt.down
dead without fo much as a Fever, or any other Symptom.
The Ufe of a Name, indeed, I take to be a matter
of no great moment, provided it does not lead us into
Midakes, and if we do not attempt the Management of
all Didempers of the fame Name after the fame Man¬
ner. But before 1 profecute my main Deiign, I ihall
defcribe what I mean by a Flague or Fefiilential Difiem-
per, and fome of its moreufual Symptoms.
The Flague then is an Epidemical Didemper, Conta- The BUguz
gious, very fatal to Mankind, commonly taking its Rife®^*
from a poifonous Air, and afterwards propagated by
Contagion 5 it is often attended with Buboes , Carbuncles ,
Spots, Wheals and Fujlutes.
Some Authors think that a Flague may exid without
being Epidemical or common, and that there are Epi¬
demical Didempers that are not contagious $ and the
Cough and Catarrh mention’d by |j Foreftus is brought as an
Indance, which in the Year 1580 fpread throughout
Europe in iix Weeks time, and of which fcarce one in a
thoufand died, tho’ whole Families were ill of it at
* Dobei Encyclop. p. 5 38. j De Natur. Peft. cap. I*
** Willis de Pefte. ft Heurnii Inft. Med. p.200.
ii Foreftus, Lib, 6, Obfer.3.
once.
( 8 )
once. However juft the latter Observation may be^
the former feemstoo trifling to inftftupon.
Buboes what. Buboes are Swellings of the Glands occasioned by the
Sharp Morbific Matter that is thrown upon them, which
Sometimes encreafing, Suppurates and turns into Pus.
Thefe moft commonly appear in the Groin, Sometimes
behind the Ears, and in the Neck.
Carbuncles A Carbuncle is a fiery Swelling encompaffed with the
what. moft Sharp and burning Puftules, infeftingthe Sick with
intolerable Pain 5 it breaks out in any Place without
diliinclion, does not Suppurate or turn into Pus , but
creeping and enlarging its Bounds, throws out the eaten
corrupted Flefih, which leaves a hollow Ulcer behind
it as if burnt with an Ef char otic.
What 'DoUncs * relates of an Accident which happened
in the time of the Plague in the Lower Palatinate , is
pretty remarkable : 4 A certain Maid, fays he, had a
4 Carbuncle on the End of her Ring-Finger, and whe-
4 ther becaufe She was delirious, or through Vehemence
4 of the Pain, 1 know not, but She took a common
4 Kitchen-Knife, and cut the End of her Finger off}
4 yet for all that She died the next day, with her Fin-
4 ger and Hand mortify ’d.’
Spots? The Spots, Wheals and. Pujlules are of the fame fort of
Wheals , jP«f-Swellings with thole before defcribed, and are only
tales, what. mQYt nialignant for being lefs 5 for in thefe the Poifon
being more difperfed, is more deadly and fatal than if it
was thrown upon one Place.
Some have taken a great deal of pains to inform us
when we are to expecf that we Shall be vifited with a
Peftilential Viflemper, but with very little certainty 5
efpecially if what Dr. Mead f fays be true, That fuch
Diftempers are not of Engl'ijh Growth : but that, per¬
haps, we may conlider hereafter,
Diagnojlic Diagnoftic Signs indeed may be made better ufe of,
Signs what, for thefe Serve to Shew7 when Perfons are afHidled with
this dreadful Diftemper, and how we may know that
they are fo 5 which being timely difcovered, any Help
that can begot, is likely to prove moft beneficial. The
chiefof which, as they are ob Served by Authors of moft
Note, are as follow.
* Dolaei Encyclop. p. 540.
t See pag. 5, of his Short Difcourfe.
The
(9 )
The Pulfe fmall, weak, quick and unequal 5 a Pain
at the Mouth of the Stomach 5 fometimes great and in-
fatiable Thirfi 3 Loathing of Food and all kind of Vic¬
tuals 5 Vomiting 5 Shivering and Trembling 5 Weannefs and
Heavinefs of the Body 5 Pains in the Head 5 continual
Waking and Raving 3 fometimes extreme Heavinefs and
Sleepinefs 3 the Urine often like that of a healthy Per-
fon, the Heat not extraordinary 5 Rednejs of the Ayer 5
and at laid littl t pur pie Spots like the Bitings of Fleas.
Thefe are the Signs ufually taken notice of, but do
not agree with all Pejiilential Diftempers, as you will
find hereafter, but only to a Species of them. I fhall
therefore begin my Account of thefe Dillempers with
that remarkable Difeafe call’d the Sweatlng-Sicknefs : Seating*
This was firlt obferved in the Year 1480", and b e c au fe
it was fuppofed to be a new Diftemper, and to take its 4
Rife in England, it is call’d by Authors Sudor Anglicus
and Pejlls Sudor ifca Anglican it continued in England al-
1110ft conlf antly for 40 Years together, and tho’ the Cold
of the Winter feern’d to drive it away fometimes, yet it
would return in warmer Weather with freili Vigour. It
deftroy’d fuch vail numbers of People before there was
a certain Remedy found out, that Foreigners hardly be¬
lieved there were fo many in the whole Ifland. From
England in 1525 it took its Progrefs, and in five Years I525s
time march’d through Lower Germany , the Low Coun¬
tries , Holland , Zeland , Brabant , Flanders , Denmark , Nor¬
way and France.
So mercilefs was this Dillemper, that when it fir fi:
entered a City, it would feize five or fix hundred a day,
and fcarce fix recovered.
Thofe that were taken with it, had neither Buboes, Symptoms*
Carbuncles , nor Spots , but were excefiively weak and
faint 3 they had Uneafinefs at the Heart, Pain in the
Head, thick, fwift, unequal Pulfe, and great Palpitation
of the Heart , which would l,aft with fome that recovered
two or three Years, and did not leave others all their
Life long 5 they were under a continual and plentiful
Sweat, wThich did not end till the Dillemper ceafed,
which was in twenty four Hours time. Thofe which did
not farther their Sweating , nor ufed. Cordials , and who,
impatient of Heat^ expofed themfelves to the cold Air i
all died fuddenly in thefpace of twenty four Flours : But
after the Cure came to be known* and they fortified
B the
Caufe*
Viet to he
ufed .
( 10 )
the Sick with Cordials , and promoted their t Sweating, not
fo many peri fired.
The Caufe of this Diffemper was generally allowed
to be iome Poifonous Quality of the Air. Yet fome
afcribed it to the malignant Influences of the Stars, a-
mongff whom was Sennertus , but more especially Camb-
den, who does not at all doubt but it owed its Rife to an
Opposition of Saturn and Mars from the Zodiacal Con-
•ftellations Scorpio and Taurus , as you may fee more at
large in his Britannia.
But whatever the Caufe was, the EfFeffs were fome-
times foon over 5 for it was was obferved by Tyengius to
enter Amj erdam with a mi fly Air on the 20th. of Septem¬
ber 1 529 after Noon, and after a flay of five days entire¬
ly vanifhed, and returned no more.
In the iear 1 55°, England was again viflted with this
flrange Difiemper 5 it was faid to deflroy a great num¬
ber of People in the Prime of their Age, and what is
very remarkable that our Historians relate, it affected
none but the Englifi in foreign Countries. Our Ambaffa-
dor at that time at Paris confulted three famous Phyfi-
cianp Fernelius , Holier ins and Silvias , for a Prefervative
againft it.
They advifed him to drink moderately of flrong Li¬
quors, and to eat fuch things as were eafy of Digeflion,
as Small Birds , Partridges , Pullets , Pheafants , young Hares ,
Conies and Kid 5 and thefe not boiled, but roafted. That
his Body might be kept as free from Crudities as pofli-
ble,. they order’d him to take two or three of the fol¬
lowing Pills once or twice a Week, an Hour before any
thing was to be eaten.
Mis, Take of the choice!! Myrrh two Drams j of the beff
Aloes half an Ounce 5 Saffron half a Scruple 5 of
the Leaves of the true and of the Roots of
falle Dittany , of the Roots of Betony and Tormen-
titj of the true Bole Armoniac , of the Seated Earth
of Lemnos, of each half a Dram. With new Oil
of fiveet Almonds and Syrup of Lemons make a
Mafs, to be wrapped in Leather and kept for Ufe.
They alfo commended the frequent Ufe of candied
Citron- Peel, Conferve of Rofes, Conferve of Borrage-
Flowers , Conferve of Spleemvort , Scabious , Succory and
Toi mentil-Root. And alfoprefcribed the following Mix¬
ture,
( II )
ture, of which the Quantity of a Hazle-Nut was to be
taken now and then, two Hours beiore Break fall.
Take of the Conferve of Rofes , Bor rage and Buglofs Mixture.
Flowers, candied Citron, of each an Ounce 5 of
old Venice Treacle three Drams 5 of Bole Armo-
?uac , Sealed Earth of Lemnos , oi each two Drams :
make a Mixture.
After the taking of a little of which, two Ounces of
diilill’d Wine was to be drank.
Whether or no any Prefervathe was fufficient to keep
away the Diftemper, Authors .are lilent 3 but as to the
* Cure, not fo : the whole Secret of which confided in Cure .
covering the Sick in Bed, and not fuffering the leaft
Breath of Air to come near them. They would not
fuffer the Sick to leave his Bed upon the moll urgent
Occafion, no nor io much as to move themfelves, nor
could this be obtain’d by any Prayers or Intreaties of the
Sick. When the Sick was very hot, and wanted to
drink, they gave him fome of the following Decodlion,
which refrelh’d his Spirits, and promoted the Sweating.
Take of the Flowers of white Water- Lillies and Vio- DecoBhn*
lets , of each half a Handful 3 of Carduus Bene-
diHus , Pimpernel , Barrage, Buglofs , honed Raifins,
of each a Pugil 5 of Figs n° ten 3 Lentils husked,
wafhed Lack, of each live Drams 3 of Traga-
canth three Drams, Zedoary, Dittany, Tormentil-
Roots , boil in a fuflicient Quantity of Water of
white Water- Lillies and Buglofs, and make a Li¬
quor to be kept for the Life above mention’d.
They would alfo fometimes give the Sick, Syrup of
Citrons, Pomegranates, or Sorrel , by way of Refrelhment.
They alfo made ufe of convenient Smells, and held
them to theNofe of the Sick, or did as follows.
Take Rof e-Water three Ounces 3 Vinegar an Ounces Burnt*
Cloves, yellozv Saunders, of each half a Dram :
mix and evaporate upon a flow Fire in the
Chamber.
* Vid. Fracaftorius lib. 2. cap. 5. de Morb. Contag.
B 2 When
( *2 )
When the Sick has flept long and plentifully enough,
he is to be uncovered by little and little, and at lafh the
Sweat is to be carefully wiped off.
It will not be improper to take notice, that thofe that
were yet well would earneftly intreat each other not to buf¬
fer fuch of them that fhould fall ftck to leave their Beds
before the dueTimeupon any Account whatever 3 and yet
thefe fame Perfons, while ill, would beg and pray with
the moft moving Arguments they could think of, to be
at liberty, llruggling, and crying out in the moft pitiful
manner: which violent Emotions the Phyficians did not
endeavour to pacify, imagining it haftned their Reco¬
very. When the Sick did not fweat freely, they endea¬
vour’d to promote it with proper Medicines.
* Schenckius relates an odd fort of a Story of one that
would not fu bm it to the ufual Methods of Cure, and
in order to avoid it run away and hid himfelf in an
Oven from whence the Bread was newly drawn 5 which
giving him a pretty plentiful Sweat, he at length crept
out with the ufual Signs of Recovery.
geJUtenet I fhall no w go back to that terrible Eeflilence which
■with Infirm- raged in the Tear 1348, in the Reign of Edward the
S^i34e! Third, in which Year it rained in England from Mid-
fummer till Chrijimas. It was not only violent in our own
Country, but made dreadful havock all over the World,
fcarcely leaving the tenth part of Mankind alive.
Where it began, and what was then imagined to be the
Caufe of it, we have elegantly enough clefcribed by
Fraeajiorius in his Siphilis.
Bis centum flux ere Anni quum jlammea Marte
Lamina Saturno trifli immifcente per omnes
Aurorae Populosy -per que rigat JEpuora Ganges
Infohta exarjit Febris , quae peEore anhelo
Sanguineum Sputum exagitans , miferabile Eifu ,
Quart a Luce frequens fato per debat acerbo.
Which, for the benefit of my Engli/S Reader, I ihall
thus tranflate :
* Schenckius de Feb. Peft. Obf, 118.
A
C i? )
A Hundred Tears twice told have took their fight
Since Saturn mix'd with Mars his hated Lights
Who with their hateful Influence did infefi
The rich and potent Nations of the Eaft :
Hence rag'd a dreadful Peft, before unknown
Which f siz'd the Lungs, and made the Breaft: itsThrone $
Four Days it tyranniz’d with dreadful Sway,
When Life in purple Streams broke out, and fled away .
It began in the E after n Parts of the World, and paffed
on uninterruptedly to all the Countries in the Well: 5
fo univerfal, fo great was the Deftruclion, that it’s pro *
bable no Age ever faw the like : Thofe indeed, fpoke
of by Galen, Thucydides and Avenzoar, are terrible enough
in themfelves confider’d 5 but, when we compare
them with this, our Admiration ceafes.
The Contagion was fo certain, that all friendly Offi¬
ces were forgot among Mankind, the deareft Friends
and Relations deferring each other 5 and it was fome-
thing rare, if the Dead happened to have Survivors that
would bury them 5 and there were very few, if any,
that were feiz’d, that efcaped.
When this Diftemper entered any Place, for the firft The Symy
two Months it was accompanied with a Fever , Difficulty toms*
of Breathing , and Spitting of Blood. The Difficulty of
Breathing was fo great, that the Sick were obliged al¬
ways to be in a fitting Pofture, and could fcarce fwal-
low any thing of any kind 5 they were exceeding reft-
lefs, their Cheeks red and fiery : at firft they coughed
violently, but brought up no Blood, afterwards a little,
and then a confiderable Quantity 3 in three days time
they died. But after the aforefaid two Months, be-
fides the foregoing Symptoms, they had Spots and Ab-
jcefies, and died all in five days time.
In procefs of time, when the Fury of the Difeafe be¬
gan to abate, the Lungs were affie£led no longer, but
the morbifick Matter was thrown upon the Groin , Arm-
pits, and behind the Ears, and was not then fo mortal.
It lafted five Years in fome Places, in England nine 5
there were fifty thoufand buried in oneYear in the Char - 50,000 h li¬
ter Hotife Church-yard at London. This was fucceeded ln one
with Murrain of Cattle, and Scarcity of all forts of Pro- on
vifions.
* Schenchus
¥557“
Symptoms*
(Jure*
j $65*
Symptoms*
Cure .
Cm)
* Sche whins tells us, the Conjunction of the Planets^
fpoken of before, happened on the 28th Day of March
1 345, in the Sign Leo , too long before to perfuade many
it was owing to that.
But with, more Probability are thofe of this kind,
which happened in Germany in the Years 1557 and 1 564,
afcribed to the different Conititutions of the Air. The
firft of which fucceeded a dry Autumn, followed by
cold Northern Winds j this was attended with a violent
Cough , Difficulty of Breathings and obtufe Pains in the
Side : on the third Day, or before, their Spittle was
bloody, on the fifth, fixth, feventh, or at fartheft the
eighth, they died.
Thofe who were let Blood on the firft or fecond Day,
recover’d on the fourth or fifth 3 but if Blood-letting
was negleffed till the fourth or fifth Day, it did no Ser¬
vice j.
That which fell out in 156 5 was preceded with a
iharp Froft, which was more remifs in January , when
the Diftemper began, which was fuppofed to fill the
Air with grofs Vapours, the Caufe of this Diftemper.
Thofe who expoied themfelves to the Air after Sun-fet,
were fooneft feiz’d with it 3 and, on the contrary, the
Mid-day was lefs dangerous, and good Fires bene¬
ficial ** * " #
|| Sennertus informs us, that Meteors of various kinds
were feen in the Air all the time the Difeafe lafted, as
well as a little before.
Thofe who were feized with this, had a Lever, Cough ,
Hparfenefs , Difficulty of Breathing , and obtufe Pains in the
Side. The Cure, as before, chiefly depended upon
Blood-letting 5 which, if it was feafonable, to wit, the
firft or fecond Day, feldom failed. The Bodies of
feveral that died were opened, and there was found
a true Peripneumonia , or Inflammation of the Lungs.
I have one thing remarkable more to add from Sen-
menus, that the Women who had this Diftemper in the
time of Menftruation, had intolerable Pains in the Back,
and aim oft all of them died.
* De Feb. Peft. Obfer. 127.
t Doddnaei Obfer. Med. cap. 21.
** Schenckius de Feb. Pell. Obfer. 128.
11 Sennert. de Feb. Mai.
Thcfe
( *5 )
Thefe Diftempers were moft frequent in fome Parts of
Germany 3 in which Country alfo, in the Year 1 516,
there wTas an Epidemical Head-ach , accompanied with a
kind of Diftraflion and Giddinefs, with Swellings be¬
hind the Ears, which dellroyed great Numbers.*
The like Diftemper prevailed again in the Year 1557, I557.
throughout all Germany , though not fo mortal as that
above-mentioned in the fame Year? for none died of
it but Infants : The Symptoms were Tains in the Head , Symptoms*
Difficulty of Breathing , and Hoarfenefs in the beginning 3
afterwards Shivering , a Fever, and fo violent a Cough ,
that it brought on a Danger of Suffocating : at iirjf the
Cough was dry, without Spitting 5 but after the feventh,
or fourteenth Day, the Spittle was much and vifcid , tho
fome had it light and frothy. As the Spitting encreafed,
the Cough and Difficulty of Breathing Icflened. In all Sta¬
ges of the Difeafe, there was Weaknefs , Wearinefs , and
want of Appetite, together with Inquietude , Faintnefs,
and Watching , by reafon of the vehement Cough 3 fome
were troubled with a Loofenefs , others with Szveating,
towards the end. f It raged only at one time of the
Year, and feized on all alike, without Diftinftion.
In the Cure of this, neither Blood-letting , nor Turfing, gHrga
nor Alexipharmicks were found of any fervice 3 but Bole
Ar maniac, taken in any Form, proved beneficial to ap-
peafe the Cough , if joined to things that promote Expec¬
toration : Broths , and moift Food was better than at¬
tenuating 3 for the former help’d their Spitting.
Wierus j| informs, that in 1564, an Epidemical Difeafe Et);jgm;cai,
aiflicfed Mankind, which was preceded by the Small-Fox Difeafe,
and Meafles 3 he fays it proved very fatal, depopulating 1 5 <$4
Towns and Cities 3 of which Confiantinople , Alexandria ,
Leyden , London , Dantzick , Vienna , Cologn , and the
whole Traft of the upper Rhine , even unto ik/z/, were
fufficient Teftimonies. In the Winter, in the /ower
Rhine , People had Glandulous Tumours on the outhde of
the Neck 3 in the Summer following, Qmnfies, dangerous,
and of Ihort Duration : The Contagion of its Maligni¬
ty equalled the moil direful Feftile?ice 3 fome it de-
* Holler. Commen. in Coac. Hipp.
t Valler in Appen. Loc. Com* cap. 2.
ii Lib. Obfer, Med. rar,
ftroyed
Symptoms*
Cure »
( 16 )
flroyed in one Day, others in two, three, four, fom®
few in feven 5 thofe that pafied the eighth Day efcaped
The Sick were fir# taken with a Vomiting , then a
Swelling of the Tongue, afterwards Lofs of Speech , and
great Difficulty of fwallowing any thing in a Liquid, much
more in a folid Form 3 after which, Suffocation foon
followed, Nothing extraordinary appeared on theout-
lide of the Neck. Our Author fays, that inwardly
there was a continued Defluxion of a virulent Humour ,
which occasioned a Phrenzy. Sometimes the Difeafe,
inflead of the Fauces, would feize the Fleur a, or Lungs 3
whence deadly Pleurifies and Peripneumonia s would fol-
As to the Cure, Evacuations and Blood-letting were found
to be dangerous 3 at lead the latter was not fo fuccefsful
as in the Year enfuing, before taken notice of Our Au¬
thor fays, he made ufe of Medicines to {Lengthen the
lower Parts again# the Defluxion, to break the Force of
the Poifon, and to apply to the Part affected, but does
not fpecify them 3 in the room of which I fhall produce
fbveral Prefervatives, that were never made ufe of, and
collected that Year by eminent Phyficians.
Itfervative* Bohemiusb Prefervative EleHuary.
Take Myrrh, Aloes, Saffron, 'Bone of a Stags Heart *,
white Dittany, of each two Scruples and a half 3
white Ginger half an Ounce 3 Camphit e a Dram
and a half 3 Torment'd -Root an Ounce and two
Scruples 3 the Roots of Snakeweed and Pimpernel
of each a Scruple 3 Zedoary two Ounces and two
' Scruples 3 Venice-Treacle, Mthridate,oB each three
Ounces. With a fuflicient Quantity of a Pejli-
lential Water make an Electuary, of which take
the cpantity of a Hazle-Nut in a Morning for a
Preservative 3 but n infedfed, aDiam.
Family He* Cafmemsk Excellent Prefervative EleBuary for Families .
fervative. T<ike leaves of Rue dry’d and powder’d, a Hand¬
ful 3 of Sage the fame, half a Handful 3 Pim¬
pernel-Root dry’d and bruifed, an Ounce and a
half 3 Gentian a Dram 3 Cardamoms half an Ounces
* Matthiolus commends this mightily , but whether jufily or **,
Ibinownou Juniper-
C 17 )
Juniper-Berries an Ounce 5 Kernels of frejb Wal¬
nuts , an Ounce 3 Laurel-Kernes, the Outfide be¬
ing taken off, half an Ounce 5 Snakeweed two
Drams 3 Tormentil-Root two Drams and a half 5
prepared Bole Armoniac half an Ounce. Thefe
being bruifed and reduced to a Powder, add an
Ounce of Vent ce-Tr each mixed with half an
Ounce of Vinegar of Rofes , and let them again
be mixed and beaten in a Mortar. Take the
quantity of a Hazle-Nut four hours before Din¬
ner.
Frefervative Fills . Tills .
Take Leaves of Water -Germander a Dram and a
halt 3 the I ops of hffer Centaury , Troches of Aza-
nch, heft Aloes , of each a Dram 5 Tops of Maud¬
lin, Wormfeed, Roman Coriander-Seed, Anij e-Seed,
Cloves , of each a Dram and 12 Grains 5 calcined
Harts-Horn, white Amber, Seeds of Sorrel, of each
half a Dram. Let all be powder’d by them-
felves, and afterwards fprinkied with the Juice
of Oranges mix’d with the fharpeil Wine Vinegar
and Rof e-Water in equal parts 3 then dry them,
and repeat the fprinkling feven times : at lad:
add Saffron twelve Grains 5 Musk , Amber, of each
ten Grains 5 with Syrup of Oranges make a Mafs
of Fills.
A Frefervathe Infufion. Infufion.
Take Bole Armoniac, Sealed Earth, both prepared
with Rofe -"Water and Vinegar, of each fix Oun¬
ces 5 Roots of white Dittany , Fimpernel, Tormen¬
t'd, Valerian, Zedoary, Gentian, of each two Oun¬
ces 5 Roots of Angelica, four Ounces 5 Betony,
Scabious, Carduus BenediBus, of each two Hand¬
fuls. Let the Herbs and Roots be wafhed in
White-Wine, afterwards fliced and infufed in
Vinegar and diffill’d Wine, of each fix Pints. To
this Infufion add of old V emce-Treacle a Pound.
Dofe for^Old Men two Ounces, for the Young an
Ounce and a half,
I might add feveral mare, but it would carry me be¬
yond my Defign, without giving any Light into the Na-
C ture
( i8 )
ture of the Diftemper 5 for wc have no Account of the
Succefs of thefe la ft mentioned Prefcriptions, tho’ it’s
certain they were much efteemed, and in feme cafes
were probably of fervice: 1 Aiall therefore only add
one other made ufe of by a Canon of Lorain , which he
made a great deal of Money of, but was at length, fays
my Author, purchafed by a certain Prince at a great
Price.
Take Galen s'* Cordial Powder , Sealed Earth, of each
a Dram 5 of Bole Armoniac half an Ounce 5 of
Venice-Treacle three Ounces 3 Conferee of Rofes ,
Borrage, Buglofs , of each an Ounce 3 Syrup of
Violets as much as is fuflicient to make an Eletlu-
ary ,
T4 he next Pefiilential Diftemper 1 fthall take notice
of, is the Hungaric Difeafe, called in Latin , Morbus Hun -
gariens and Lues Fannomca. It began in the Year 1 5 6^c>
at Comorra , and increafed at Gewer in Hungary , where
the Chrillian Powers were affembled under Maximilian II.
againft the Turks. When the Soldiers were disbanded,
they diftributed the Contagion over almofl all Europe ,
but chiefly at Vienna , through which they moil of them
paft. They fo infedled the Families where they lay,
and died fo fail themfelves, that the Streets w;ere foon
filed with dead Bodies, which contributed very much
to fpread the Contagion ,
Tho’ this was fuppofed by jordanus f and others to be
the flrft Appearance of this Difeafe, yet L angius 11, who
* Species Letitise Galeni, or Pulvis Letificans Galeni, un*
dev which Titles you will find it in mojl Difpenfatories, which
take as follows :
Take of Cloved Baftl-Seeds, of Saffron, Zedoary, yellow
Sanders, Cloves, Citron-Peels, Galangals, Mace,
Nutmegs, Styrax, of each two Drams and a half ; Ivory
Kafpings, Anifeeds, Thyme, Dodder of Thyme, Bone
of a Stag’s Heart, Pearls, of each a Dram ; Amber-
greafe, Musk, Leaves of Gold and Silver, of each a
Semple : make a Powder .
Ten have this in the new Edition of the London Difpenfatory,
with the addition of half a Dram of Pearls and Camphhef and only
'half the Quantity of Gold and Silver.
t Cap, ip. de Peft. Phsenom,
11 Epilh 4. Par. 1. in Cun CaiX
Hungaric
Difeafe,
1 5 66.
wras
( *9 ) . ,
was prefeiit at an Expedition againd the Turks feme
Years before, deferibes aDidemper which raged in the
Emperor’s Army, and which Sennertus * imagined to be
the lame we are now fpeaking of. And^if fo, I wonder he
did not obferve that the lame Author mentions it as
having appear’d feveral times before : take Langius's
own words ? ‘ This, fays he, is the Difeafe which in the
‘ Autumnal Seafon has lately io often fubdued the Soi-
‘ diers in Hungary, and which raged lo popularly a-
4 monglt the Borderers upon the Rhine ff
The Symptoms of this Difeafe in the Year above- Symptoms.
mentioned were as follow |}. About three or four of the
clock in the Afternoon it began with Cold and Shiver¬
ing, about a Quarter of an Hour after Heat fucceeded,
which laded the following Days, Their chief Com¬
plaint was of a Pain in the Plead 5 they would alfo point
with their Finger to that part of their Bread diredly a-
gaind the Orifice of their Stomach 5 the Outlide was
hard, and would not abide to be touched 5 the firit
Days they had an unquenchable Third 5 the fecond
Day, or at fanned the third, they grew delirious, which
laded a confiderable time 3 they grew worfe about
Evening, and in the Night the Difeafe recovered
drength 3 the Tongue was dry, the Lips ohopt 3 fome fpit
Blood, others had a Critical Loofenefs. Deafhefs was a
Sign of Recovery 5 Szvellmgs behind the Ears were fre¬
quent : The word Onfis was Tubercles on the Top of the
Foot, which being open’d, fpread themfelves, and after¬
wards being neglecfed, a Mortification enfued. Some
recovered on the fourteenth Day, others on the twentieth,
tho’ but few 3 all who did not abdain from Wine pe-
rifhed. All had Spots like Flea-bihngs , fome bigger, fome
lefs, chiefly on their Bread and about their Back-Bone,
fome all over their Bodies, fome on their Shoulders.
Some think that the grofs Hungarian Air, the Filth Caupt,
of the Camp , their eating great Quantities of Tijh and
grofs Beef, their drinking unwhole fome Water, and
Hungarian Wine too immoderately, gave Rife to this
Didemper.
.. "■ ■ 11 " . .
* Senner. de Morbo Ungarico.
t ‘ Hie eft ille Morbus qui Autumni tempore in Pamonia
4 Milites praeteritis annis toties debellavit, 6s crebro popu-
* latim in Rheni Accolas faevit.
|{ Jordan, de Peft.Ph^nom.
C a
The
( 20 )
The Havock that this Difeafe made, caufed various
Remedies to be invented : Some took the White of one
Egg, or more, and having beaten it into Froth, would
add half a Dram or a Dram of Saffron in Powder, and
drink it in two Ounces of Spirit of Wine or Brandy, and
then wafhed their Mouths with the fame, rubbing their
Gums and Tongue till the Blood came 3 this Method
was fometimes repeated in the Evening, never oftener.
The following, fays 5 ordantts , has an Author of greater
Fame, whoufed it with good Succefs : He took twenty
Leaves of the greater Hon/leek, and carefully prefs’d
out the Juice, to which he added a Scruple of Sal Armo-
mac , or a little Camphire, with a Pint and a half of
Spring-Water? which he gave to the Sick to drink cold
at pleafure, adding fometimes a little Powder of the
Root of Florentine Orris,
The Hungarians take Lovage newly digged up, and
walh and beat it with FIog’s-Greafe freed from Films
and walhed cold 3 then /have their Heads, and anoint
them with this Mixture : afterwards they take a large
Linen Cloth dipped in Wine or Brandy, and cover the
Sick all over, who being laid down in his Bed, is caufed
to fweat plentifully, not without Pain. Befides, they
take Garltck Peeped in Vinegar , and rub the Balls of
their Hands and Soals of their Feet very hard, thinking
to divert the Difeafe, u/ing nothing be/ides.
The Regular Thy ficians fir ft ufed gentle Evacuations 5
for which Intention they chiefly commend Agarick in Va¬
riety of Forms 3 of which take the following, as grate¬
ful as any :
Take of Pulp of Tamarinds two Drams 3 Manila and
Cafji a, each three Drams 3 Troches of Agaric]? ,
Rhubarb , of each a Scruple 3 with Syrup of Rofes
and Sugar , Sennertus fays a Bolus muft be made :
but it muft be coniefs’d it will be the larged I
have met with. The following is more agree¬
able to that Form.
Take of Troches of Agaric}!, four Scruples 3 Oxymsl
Ample, Conferee .of Rofes, of each a little 3 Sugar
as much as fufficient : make a Bole.
The Troches of Agarick you’ll And in any Edition of
the London Difpenfatory, and therefore needs not to be
repeated here. Blood -
♦
C 21 )
'Blood-letting was alfo prefcribed the fir ft or fecond
Day, but after that was thought dangerous : For Diet
they ufed tart things, fuch as Jour Grapes and Pomegra -
nates. Some rely’d much upon the following Prefcrip-
tion :
Take Venice-Treacle , Mithridate , of each three Oun¬
ces 5 Zedoary , an Ounce 5 white Ginger , half an
Ounce 5 of the Roots of Torment'd , Snakeweed ,
Pimpernel , each three Drams ? Camphire two
Drams 5 Myrrh , Saffron, Bone of a Heart ,
Dittany , of each two Scruples and a half.
They ufed to take a fmall Quantity diffolved in equal
Parts of V/ater and Vinegar : which way of taking pre-
fuppofes the Ingredients to be powder’d and mix’d with
the Treade and Mithridate , tho not mention’d by our
Author.
There were fome that only ufed to give Zedoary in
fome Cordial Water with Succefs. Others gave the
diftill’d Water or Oeco&ion of Vervain Morning and
Evening till the Difeafe was conquered.
For Drink they had Mixtures of a Decoclion of Barley
or Harts-horn , and Juice of Pomegranates or Citrons , or
Spirit of Vitriol , at pleafure.
Schroterus , Pro fen or of Medicine in the Univerfity of
Jen a in Germany when this Difeafe was rife, prefcribed
the following Prefervatives. Prefervatives
A Prefervative Powder. Powder*
Take ol Zedoary Roots, of white Dittany , Gentian ,
Leaves ot Water-Germander, Carduus BenediBus ,
Sorrel, of each alike ? make a Powder. Dofe a
Dram in a Morning fading in Carduus BenediBus
Water, or in the Winter in White-Wine.
A Prefervative EleBuary for poor Women with Child. EleBuary.
Take of Tormentil-Roots and Elecampane-Root, each
fix Drams j Anife and Caraway-Seeds , of each an
Ounce and a half : with clarified Honey make an
Eie&uary.
A Prefervative Elixir. Elixir.
Take, Cinnamon an Ounce ? Rofemary , Wood-Sorrel ,
Water-Germander, of each half a Handful j Ange¬
lica -
( 22 )
Uca-Root , Red Rofes , Lignum Aloes , of each a
Dram 5 yellow Sander s, half a Dram; Mace, of
both forts of Cardamoms , Cloves, Seeds of Sorre/,
Car duns Benediftus , Citrons, of each a Scruple ?
eight Grains 3 reHified Spirit of Wine xxii
Ounces : let them be almoft continually fhaked
for fifteen days in a Glafs Veffel clofe flopp’d 5
then firain, and add Syrup of Citron-Reels , Marma¬
lade of Quinces, of each two Ounces and a half
EkBuary. A Frefervative Nut-EleHuary.
Take twenty Walnuts 5 twenty-five Pigs 5 of long
and round Birthwort , an Ounce and a half 5 white
Dittany j Roots of Tormentil and Fimpernel, of
each two Drams and a half 5 Leaves of Worm¬
wood, Rue, Scabious, Afarabacca, of each a Hand¬
ful ; Bay-berries, Citron-Feels, Galangals, Mace, of
each a Dram } Borrage-Flbwers, two Drams 5 Bone
of a Stags Heart, Myrrh, of each a Dram ; clari¬
fied Honey, a fwfficient Quantity to make an E-
lecluary, of which the quantity of a Chefinut is
to be taken every Morning.
I /hall conclude what I have to fay upon this Diftem-
per, with obfervirig, that* Camay thinks they are guilty
of very great Errors who do not attempt the Cure of it
with proper Evacuations, and Blood-letting, ratner than
Sweating 5 for, fays he, if we obferve Nature, we /hall
find that /lie often gets rid of her Enemy bv a Hemor¬
rhage of the Nofe, by Stool, by Urine, and Abjceffes, and
but feldom by Sweat .
3596 6®
3 597) Fever
Convuljive.
Symptoms*
In the Years 15 96 and 1597, a Difiemper was very
rife in the Diocefs of Cologn, Wefifhalia, the Counties
W aided , and Wittenjiein , and Hejje, which f Sennertus
calls Febris maligna cum S^ajmo^ that is, a ynalignant Fever
with Convulfions 5 tho he himfelf fays, it was foinetimes
with and fometimes without a Fever.
It begun with Fwitcloing and Numbness in the Hands
and Feet, fometimes on one fide, fometimes on both ;
* Conf.Med. Enchirid. lib. 2. cap.p.
•J- De Febre Malig. cum Spafm,
after
afterwards it convulfed their Fingers and Toes, and
crept by degrees up their Arms and Legs, till at length
it feized their whole Bodies 5 and the Sick was either
rolled up like a Hedghog, or lay dretched out at full
length without Motion. Thefe Convulsions were atten¬
ded with violent Fains, which forced Cries and Shrieks
from the Sick. It would take fome unawares at the
Table, and, as it were, drike Knives and Spoons out of
their Hands. It would attack others at P lough, or a-
bout any common Bufinefs, without any previous No¬
tice. Some alfo would be feized with Vomiting at firiL
The Sick would remain feveral Days in the Condition
above defcribed 3 yea, fometimes whole Weeks with¬
out having their Heads molefted 3 and, moreover, not
at all, if jit Remedies were feafonably given : But if thefe
were neglefled, it advanced to the Head 3 the Falling
Sicknefs fucceededj after a Fit of which, the Sick would
lie as if they were dead for fix or eight Hours. It ren¬
der’d fome Jlupid or foolijh , fome lethargick , others de -?
lirious 3 fome would remain fo four Days, others longer 5
and when they recovered, it was with Deafnefs , or
Weaknefs of the Eyes, if not the Palfy. When the
Fit was over, they were all infatiably hungry, greedily
devouring Victuals of all forts 5 to which a Loofenefs
would fucceed 3 and the more fparingly they ate, the
greater it was. Some had their Feet and Hands fwelFd,
others had Tubercles full of a ferous Humour. They ne¬
ver fweated.
Experience plainly /hewed that this Difeafe was con¬
tagious 3 for thofe that were converfant with the Sick,
feldom or never efcaped free, tho the Contagion did
not prefently appear 3 for fome were ill of it, tho not
even till twelve Months after.
This Difeafe was hard to cure 3 for thofe that were
Epileptick , had now and then a touch of it ever after :
Thofe that were ftupid, remain’d fo till Death, without
ever recovering their former Vigour of Mind. And tho
fome lived fifteen Years after their Recovery, yet every
Year, in December and January, they perceived fome-
thing of the Difeafe.
The Reader may obferve, that I fay little or nothing Caufe.
of what Phyficians call the proximate Caufes of thefe
Didempers 3 and therefore when I talk of Caufes, 1
mud be underdood to mean what is called the Proca -
tar tick
( 24 )
tartick Caufe: In this Senfe the Dearth that was in thefe
Parts, which obliged Men to eat unwholefome Food,
may be faid to be the Caufe of this Difeafe.
The Manner of Cure you fhall have from the Method
of the Phyfkians of the Univerfity of MapvPtjrg in Ger¬
many : Firft they gave an Ounce of the following pur¬
ging Elethiary , and four Hours after, Broth , wherein
Rofemary , wild Thyme , Sage, and Savory were boiled 5
this they repeated thrice.
Take of Diaphmiicon, four Ounces 5 EleBmry of
the Juice of Rofes , two Ounces 5 Powder of Her -
modaFtils, -white Turhith , Spurge , cleaned and cor¬
rected, of each a Dram 5 Diagrydium , Cajlor, of
each two Scruples 5 Coflmary , Ginger , Cloves, of
each a Scruple 5 Seeds of Rwe and Cummin , Q/~
jfro«, of each half a Scruple 5 with of Ro/er
jolutive make an EleHuavy.
The Electuary of the Juice of Rofes you will find in
the new London Difpehfatory 5 the Diaphcenicon in the
old.
After the Purgation was ended, for fix Days after the
Sick took of the following Powder againit Convulfions.
Take of Roots of Swallow-wort , Elecampane , De¬
vil's Bit , Clove July-Flowers, Peony, ot each an
Ounce and a half 5 Bay-Berries , an Ounce 5 Tops
of Sage, -wild Thyme , Rofemary Flowers , of each
two Drams 5 Species Diamojchu dulcis $ Species
Pliris Arthonticon , and Dianthus , of each a Dram
and a half. Make a Powder.
The Species Plir. Arch, if you pleafe, you may fee in
the Augufian Difpenj atory 5 the Dianthus is in the new
Edition of the London one j but the Diamofchu is only
in the old*
The Day after either of the Quarters of the Moon ,
they again took a Dofe of the Purging EleBuary , and
then the Powder again for fix Days more, and then a-
gain the purging Ele&uary, obferving the Phafes of the
Moon for a Month . Afterwards every Month, the Day
before the new Moon, but efpecially in December and
January , they took a Dram of the Powder againft Con¬
vulfions. Their Drink was medicated with Roots of
Elecampane , Peony , Sage, Rue , Juniper-Berries.
( 25 )
They ordered Flowers of Lavender and Primrofes , Sage,
Rue, Betony , Cafior, to be fteeped in Spirit of Wine ?
with which their Limbs were fuppled after they had
been rubbed with a hot Linnen Cloth. If the Convul-
fions of the Feet were vehement, they were to be wafh’d
in Lotions made of Betony , wild Thyme , Camomile Flowers
and Primrofes.
In the Time of the Fit they made ufe of the Infu-
lion and Linnen-Cloth before mentioned j but if that
did not do, the Limb was bound hard till the Convul-
fion ceafed. They alfo at the fame time exhibited to
the Sick a Dram of the Powder , or half an Ounce of
the following Antidote again (l Convulsions.
Take oi Peony -Roots, of Mifletoe , each two Ounces j
Cafior , Sage, of each an Ounce 5 Bay-Berries, Man's
Skull prepared, of each two Drams 5 Venice Trea¬
cle, Mithridate , of each a Pound j clarified Honey,
two Pound : make an EleFuiry.
The Day following they took half an Ounce of the
Purging ElePuary, and continued the Cure as before.
I cannot perfuade myfelf to pafs by that Diftemper^offe^Fevm
called in England the Spotted Fever, becaufe * Fracajlorius
mentions it as a new Difeafe, which as he imagined
made its firft appearance in Italy in the Year 1505, and
return’d 1528, and thought it came nearer to the Na¬
ture of Malignant than Peflilential Fevers : But f Langius
cenfures him for it, and not only denies that this is a
new Diftemper, but alfo affirms that all others which
are faid to be fo, are no more than old ones revived,
which had lain dormant for fome time.
This Difeafe is contagious, but not quickly fo, nor at & Contagious*
diftance 5 but only by touching of the Sick. It was fo
mild when any body was firft taken, that the SicL
would fcarcely admit a Phyfician, and the Phyficians
themfelves were not feldom deceived with it.
But after a while the Signs of a malignant Fever be- Symptoms*
gan to difeover themfelves : The Fleat, indeed, was not
fenfibly great, but the Perturbation which the Sick felt
* Lib. 2. cap. 6, 7. de Contag, Morb,
t Lib. 2. Epif. 15.
through-
D
(2<5)
throughout his whole Body was very evident, which was
attended with a great Wearinefs like that of a Perfon
tired. The Sick lay fupine in their Bed, their Heads
were heavy, their Senfes dull, and after the fourth or
ieventh Day they began to talk wildly and much, their
Eyes being red and fiery. At firli their Urine was whi-
tijh , afterw ards red and troubled : The Fulfe was flow,
the Excrements corrupt and fetid. On the fourth or fe-
venth Day little red Spots like Flea-bitings began to ap-
appear on their bach , Jrmsy and Breajis. They had
little or no Thirf£, their Tongues were foul 3 fome were
wakeful, others ileepy. Others again both by turns.
This State lalled in fome to the feventh Day, in others
to the fourteenth or longer.
It was fatal to a few Women, to a very few Old
Men, but not one that was a Jew perifhed. Young Ivlen
and Boys had the grpateft lhare of its ill Effedls, and
amongil thofe the wealthier lort.
If the Sick felt his Strength to fail on a hidden, if after
a Cnfis no Alleviation of the Symptoms followed, if
there was a Stoppage of Urine, if the Spots lay hid, or
came out llowly, or were livid 5 if any or all of thefe
Signs happen’d, the Sick were judged irrecoverable :
but the contrary, if the contrary Signs appeared.
As Authors are divided about the proximate Caufe of
this Diftemper, fo they are about its Cure. Riverius
* thinks if you know how to manage this, you will
know how to deal with the Plague and all other Pefti-
lential Dijiempers , and for that Reafon only infills upon
this. Some are for Evacuations , fome for Alexiphar-
mich , and others for both ? of this lad fort is Senticrtus ,
whofe Method of Cure I will prefent you with. Only
obferve by the way, that Langius f fays he himfelf cured
three Perfons of this Diifemper only with gentle Cathar-
tich and a proper Diet.
The above- mention’d Author advifes firft to loo fen
the Belly with Syrup of Rofes folutive , Infufion of Rhu¬
barb, Cream of Tartar , ExtraE of Rhubarb , to any of
which a little Camphire may be added, or with the fol¬
lowing Potion.
* De Feb. Peih
t Elbe 2* Epift. 15.
Take
. . ( 27 )
Take Roots of Viper-Grafs , half an Ounce 5 Leaves
of Sorrel , half a Handful 5 Carduus Bcnedi&us, Wa¬
ter Germander, of each a Pugii 3 Leaves of Senna,
half an Ounce 3 half a Dram of Rhubarb 3 Ze-
doary , Gzrozz- Seeds, of each half a Scruple 5 G/z-
ncimon , a Scruple 3 of the Cordial Flowers, each a
Pugii. Infufe in a fufficient Quantity of Water,
ft rain and diffolve in it hall an Ounce of Sian n a 3
to which add half an Ounce of Syrup of Rojes foL
and two Drops of Spirit of Vitriol.
He leaves Blood-letting to the Judgment of the Phy¬
sician, but would not have it meddled with after the
fourth Day : he would have the Sick be kept in a pretty
warm Room, and make ufe of the following Sudor ificks.
Take of the Seeds of Navew, or long Tumeps, a
Dram 3 of Citron and Carduus BenediStus Seeds,
each half a Dram 3 Carduus Benediffus Water,
three or four Ounces : make an Emulfion 3 to
which add Syrup of the Juice of Water Germander
half an Ounce. Or,
Take Seeds of long Tumeps, a Dram 3 Citron and
Carduus BenediBus Seeds, calcined Harts-Horn , of
each half a Dram 3 Bone of a Stag's Heart, Ze-
doary , of each a Scruple : make a Powder, of
which give a Dram in any convenient Vehicle.
Or,
Take of Bole Armoniac , fealed Earth, Tormentil-Root
Roots of Butter-burr , Pimpernel, Water-Germander ,
calcined Harts-Horn prepared, of each a Dram :
make a Powder.
In Ihort, he concludes, that whatever is of ufe in
promoting the Small-Pox , in the Cure of the Plague and
Pellilentiai Difteimpers, will be of fervice here.
Riverius * propofes to encounter the Fever with cooling
and moifiening Medicines , the fuppofed putrid State of
the Humours with Evacuating and Alter alive, and the
malignant Quality with Alexipharmich^ or Expellers of
Poifon.
* De Febi Pelf.
Tho, notwithstanding his fird Intention he allowed
the Ufe of Wine to thofe whofe Tongue was moift,
and who were not thirdy, with good Succefs : and
moreover he fays he did this in the Year 1623 at Mont-
felher, where after the Siege a Difeafe raged of fo
great Malignity, that it wanted nothing but Buboes in
the Groin to make it a true Plague 3 for there were not
only Wheals and Spots, red, livid and black, but Swel¬
lings behind the Ears and Carbuncles : it dedroy’d at
leaft a third part of thofe that were Seized with it.
Thofe who had an intenfer Fever, whofe Tongues were
dry, rough or black , or who were thirfly , he forbid the
TJfe of \Vine to.
He afterwards relates an Experiment which he made
upon the following Occafion. He obferved that all
thofe that had Forotides, or Swellings behind the Ears,
which would appear on the ninth or eleventh Day, died
in two days : thefe upon trial would neither yield to
Sudorificks nor Topicks, which caufed him to think of
fome other Method, After reafoning with hirnfelf, he
refolved upon Blood-letting 5 but being fearful of the
Event, he only ventured upon two Ounces at frit, and
finding the Succefs anfwerable, he ordered f x more to
be taken away, which appeared to be corrupt > the next
day he prefcribed a looiening Medicine, which com-
pleated the Cure, and delivered the Sick from the Con¬
fines of Death.
3583..
Difentery
Malignant'
The Summer of the Year 1583* being hot and dry, it
was Succeeded with a Difentery or bloody Flux of a malig¬
nant nature, which Spread in Germany far and near, and
laded to the End of the Autumn. It was obferved
chiefly to infell Boys , of whom many died 5 it alfo laid
hold of a great many more advanced in Years, but
thefe with proper Remedies moilly recovered. The
mod gentle Purgatives and Clyfters were found profita¬
ble : Great numbers alfo made ufe of calcined Harts-
Horn and Bole Armoniac. Wine was hurtful by reafon
of the Fever . When the Evacuations were too great,
Extrail of Opium was found of Service. When the
Stools were extremely bilious, and in great plenty, to-
f Schenckius Obferv. de Feb. 131*
geth er
t 29 ;
gether with want of Appetite and Vomiting,
little Hope left.
Dr. Willis * obferves, that Malignant Fevers of late Malignant
Years have been greater Strangers in England than th.&FevSh 1643
Flague itfelf 5 and he fays, the only one that he ob-
ferved begun in the Army in the Year 1643, when
Reading was befieged by the Earl of Effex. It took off
a great many of the Earl of Effex* s Army 5 nor did it
lpare the King's, while it was quarter’d in and about
Oxford : at lad it grew rife among the Citizens, and in-
felled the Villages ten miles round. After the Summer
Soljiice it raged mod, and the Symptoms grew worfe, in¬
fo much that the Number of thofe that were well, were
fcarce enow to wait on the Sick : it was moll fatal to
the Old and Unhealthy, tho’ it took off of Boys, Young
Men and Middle-aged Perfons, not a few.
At firft it appeared like a putrid Synochus 3 and when Symptoms.
a Sweat or a Loofenefs had feemed to carry it off, it
would prefently gather llrength again. Often when the
Deflagration of the Blood had continued for fix or fe-
ven Days, it would remit, and inflead of a Crifes , the
adufl Matter was tranflated to the Brain, which held
the Sick a long time, fome times with Madnefs , but
oftener with Stupidity , great Weaknefs and convulfive
Motions, fo that at' lafl they hardly efcaped. About
the middle of the Summer the Signs of a Peftilential
Diftemper began to appear plainly 3 for tho’ it was con¬
tagious and mortal before, yet now Spots and Fuftules
began to appear. Some had a weak, unequal , irregular
Fulfe , without any great Fever, attended with a fudden
Dejedlion of Strength . Others, who were taken after
the fame manner, had Spots appeared upon them,
fometimes little and red, fometimes broad and livid 3
and many had Buboes as in the Flague , feme of whom
without any apparent Fever and without draggling died
fuddenly and at unawares, while others would rage and
druggie as if under frightful Agonies. Thofe that efca¬
ped, not having any laudable Crifes , were affefled with
DuUnefs of the Senfes, Tremblings, Weaknefs of the Limbs
and Convulhve Motions for a long time.
* De Yebribus.
While
( 3° ) f
While the Dog-Davs tailed, this Difeafe was fo fatal,
that it was not treated as a Fever, but as a milder
Plague, only with AlexiPhar milks. Blood-letting was be¬
lieved to be fatal 5 Vomits and Purgatives were fome-
times ufed, tho’ not often. But the Cure chiefly de¬
pended on Alexiterials, and promoting a feafonable
Sweat. ’Twas now the Countefs o f* Kent's Pow7der
began to be in great Efteem in this Country 5 and alfo
another of an A di-colour, which a certain Perfon who
was at Oxford accidentally, gave with good Succefs, and
fold at a great Price. After the Sick had drank half a
Dram of this Powder in any Liquor,, they were wont to
fall into a great Sweat, and fo were delivered from the
Virulence of the Diitemper. This Powder, as Dr. Willis
was afterwards inform'd by a Kinfman of the Man’s,
was the Powder of a Toad cleanfed w7ith Salt, and
walked in good Wine, and a little calcined in an
Earthen Pot. Before the Autumnal Quarter was ended,
the Difeafe abated much of its Fury , as fewer were
lick of it, fo alfo more of thofe few that were Pick re¬
covered $ till at length the Winter came on, and the
Fever almoft wholly vamfhed, and the former State of
Health return’d, both in the City and the Country
round about it.
Sennertus] takes notice of Fevers of this kind, which ap¬
peared in 1 5 5 1 and 1 580, which did not only over-run all
* The Powder is made as follows :
Take the black Tips of Crabs Claws gathered in June,
Contrayerva-Root, of each two Ounces \ Pearls, red
and white Coral, Crabs-Eyes, all ground with the
Juice of Lemmons , of each an Ounce ; white Amber and
Chryftal ground very fins in Rofe-Wdter and dry d, of each
an Ounce ; Harrs-Horn calcined to the great ejl Whitenefs ,
; and ground with the Juice of Citrons well fbarpened with
the Spirit of Vitriol and dry d, an Ounce ; Occidental
Bezoar, Earth of Lemnos, of each an Ounce and a half ;
Cerufs of Antimony, two Ounces ; Ambergreafe aVram
and a half ; Musk, half a Scruple : let all be well mined
together with Jelly of Vipers Skins and Harts-Horn, and
made with Carduhs-Water, and a little tinged with Saf¬
fron : divide it into little Palls, dry carefully and keep for
t Senn. 4e Febrib.
Europe ,
Europe , but almoft all the World $ and again in 1 616,
which was preceded by an extraordinary Heat : he fays it
was Epidemical to all Germany , and at Wittenberg there
was not a Houfe that did not feel the E£fe£ls of it, even
in fome Houfes they would be all ill at a time 5 and
yet. tho’ this was both Contagions and Epidemical , there
was fcarce the fix hundredth died.
Our Author, as well as Willis , lays the greatefl: ftrefs
upon Sudorijicks in the Cure ? and if he advifes other
things, it is upon particular Occaflons, and for the Suc-
cefs of them appeals to Experience. Horfiius * com¬
mends Opiates in Malignant Fevers of all forts, and would
have no yllexipharmich compounded without them.
Platerus f mentions a malignant Fever which raged J572*
at Bajil in 1572, which was chiefly fatal to Men that
were of robufl Conflitutions, rarely meddling with Wo¬
men, the Younger Sort, or Infants. It feized Men with,
a fudden Weaknefs, after it had imitated a continual
putrid Fever , and was fatal to raoft 5 who, before their
Deaths, had Spots appeared on their Bodies. There
were no Buboes or Carbuncles found in any. The Intempe¬
rate were foonefl: infe&ed. Thole that it was fatal to,
died on the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth Day, fcarce
any reached the fourteenth 5 thofe that evaded, were
fix Weeks before they entirely recovered 5 and the Fe¬
ver difappeared in about half that Time.
Montuus , |j in his Halojis Febrium , gives us an account Hetti
of a Difeafe, which he calls a HeBick Pejhlence , in the ulenct
Year 1525, which raged at Leyden, and Vienna 5 the
( w. )
pained, and the Skin was livid, under which the Car *
bunch was fomething Deep. Very few of thoie efcaped e
Some that feemed to be recovered for feveral Mouths,
relapfed again 5 yet even lb me of thefe were cured. It
was iikewife found, that black Spots were worfe than ei¬
ther Carbuncle or Bubo . Blood-letting was found to be hurt¬
ful 5 but the Application of Leeches to the Hemorrhoidal
Veins was beneficial. It is alfo worth obferving, that
many who were about the Sick for twenty Days, of a
Month, and lived with them, and felt no Damage,
would be afterwards feized with the Difeafe, and die
fuddenly. Blood-letting was often beneficial, by wav of
Prevention, but Lenitives , and Sudonfcks, and AlexL
pharmicks never failed.
Having now gone over the motf remarkable Pefli-
iential Diftempers that Authors have taken notice of,
it will not be amifs to fubjoin fome Obfervations con¬
cerning the Nature of Contagion, which may ferve the
better to explain the Nature of the Pejlilence itfelf.
BenediStus f a Fhyfician of Verona , informs us, that in
the City of Venice, in the time of the Plague, a Quilt
was thrown into a by-place, and being fought again fe-
ven Years after, the Servants that found it were imme¬
diately infedled with the Plague.
In the Year 1511, when Verona was held by the
Germans, there arofe a Peftilence, which deflroyed ten
thoufand Perfdns 5 and no lefs than twenty-five Germans
were infedted with one Leather Garment. H Our Au¬
thor fays, He himfelf remembers, that when a cer¬
tain Woman brought fome Clothes out of Zeland to Jlc-
meria, a Town in Germany, and having expofed them
without the Walls to the Sun, fome Children that play¬
ed upon them were infedled, and all died.
At * jujlinopolis in Italy, after the Peftilence had cea-
fed, fome Cords that were made ufe of about burying
the Dead were thrown behind a Box in fome part of
the Church, which being cleanfed, about twenty or
thirty Years after, upon fome particular Occafion, the
Cords were again brought to light, which a Servant
f Lib. de Pefte, cap. 3*
li Foreft. Schol. ad Obferv. 22. lib. 6. de Feb®
* Trincavel. lib. 3. ConfiL 17.
took
C 33 )
$ook up, as thinking them fit for Bell-Ropes , and by that
means fell into a Pejlilential Fever, which infected o-
thers, which was fucceeded by the Death of ten thou-
fand Perfons.
* Forejlus tells us of a Man that was inferred by
touching a Spider's Web , which occafioned a Pujiule , and
thence the Peflilence 3 and this, tho there was no Per-
ion died in the Houfe fix Months before, and the Houfe
had been cleanfed in all Places but that.
In the Year \ 1 542, at Breflau , 5900 died of the Plague
in twenty-two Weeks time, which lay hid in fome Lin-
nen 14 Years, which being opened at another Place, a-
gain fpread the Inflexion.
Some Authors have feemed to reflrain the Return
of the Plarue to iome Places to a certain Number of
o -
Years 3 but this is a mere Fancy, and contrary to Rea-
fon and Experience. The Account that Platerus\\ gives
of the Return of the Plague to Bafil feven times in fe-
venty Years, leems moll: to favour this Opinion of any
thing that I have met with : But Flaterus , with good
reafon, afcribes this to the Confluence of Strangers to
that City, amongfl: whom infected Perfons might proba¬
bly come.
It happened in England in 1603, and returned again
in 1615 3 in which Year there died of it 41,313 Perfons,
being the fame Number that were deilroyed in the
afore-mentioned Year 5 and, what is as remarkable,
they were both faid to begin in the fame Houfe, and
on the fame Day of the Month. Forty Years after, to
wit, in the Year 1665, began that extraordinary and me¬
morable Plague,, which in a little above a Year killed
100,000 Perfons 3 fince which time, which is nigh 60
Years, we have been fo happy as to be free from it 3
which makes it plain, that there is no Hated Period of
its Return, as * ** Sydenham feemed to intimate.
* Obfer. lib. 6. Obf. 22.
t Sen. de Feb.
II Plater. Obfer. lib. 2.
** Hunc orbem noftrum Britannicum Peftis vix frequen-
tius, quam poll annorum circiter quadraginta intervalla
fummo Perniciei Vigore, ac tota furiarum Acie adoriatur.
E
Of
( 34 )
Of this laft mentioned Plague I need not fay any '
tiling, becaufe there are Accounts of it lately pub-
liihed $ and it is not my Dehgn to interfere with any
body.
PART
( ?s )
PART II.
Of the Methods to prevent,
or cure the Plague.
CANNOT tell how to call it the Un-
happinefs of the Thyficians of the preient
Age, that they treat of a Diltemper
which they themfelves never had the
Opportunity of obferving : But this I
_ _ muff fay, that if they did not wholly
depend on the Faithfulnefs and Abilities of others, they
might, with fomething more of Certainty, elfablilh a
Method of Cure. There would indeed be no great
reafon to fear the Accounts which others give of the
Progrefs of the Difeafe, and the Succefs of Remedies,
if they had not been Favourers of fome Hypothecs
or other, whofe Foundation, to fay no more, is very un¬
certain.
All that I fhall do therefore in this Part, is to exa¬
mine the Writings of different Authors, and faithfully
relate what they have agreed to be beneficial; and
which they declare to be fo, not from uncertain Gueb
fes, but from often-repeated Experiments .
One great Property of the Plague , is, that it is con¬
tagious 5 which leaves us no room to doubt of the Ex-
E z iilence
) .
iftence of fomething which has the Efife&s of Poifon ?
what this is, or the Nature of it, has not been fuffici-
ently explain’d by Authors. Some have thought it to
be the. Egg* of Infers 3 others a Poifon, of the Nature of
Arfemck 3 others again, fomething arifing from the Fu~
trefaBi'tin of a Human Body. However, this is certain,
that it is fomething very fine and fubtle, and that it
will lie lodged in Clothes, or fuch like things, for feve-
ral Years together.
We may farther obferve, that Authors generally talk
of a FutrefaBion , or Stagnation of the Air, and a Difpo-
fition of the Air to Contagion \ or elfe,/«y they, it can¬
not be conceived how the Plague would ever end,
without the total Definition of the whole Nation
where it raged. But it feems pretty eafy to me to con¬
ceive, how Particles of different Natures might abound
in the Air fucceftively, without either the Corruption,
or Stagnation of the Air itfelf : and moreover it may be
queftioned, how the Corruption of the Air is ended, as
well as how the Plague would end, if it was not cor¬
rupted. All that Experience helps us in this Cafe, is,
that in the Heat of Summer this Difeafe commonly rages
more than in the Cold of Winter.
But let this be as it will, it is certain, that the Bodies
of Perfons muff be in a certain manner predifpofed to
be capable of receiving Infe&ion : This is evident from
Fejlilential Diftempers affixing particular forts of Per¬
fons more than others 3 and fome have been in the
greateft feeming Danger, and yet have efcaped : Thus
* Schenkius tells us of a Child that fucked two Nurfes,
which died of the Plague, and yet never was infefled
with it. And befides, we find, that when the moft
dreadful Plagues have raged, there has fill fome
one orr another been found hardy enough to wait on
the Sick, without any ill Confequence. Fallopius f fays,
that fome Fellows that attended upon the Sick, in the
time of the Plague, ufed no other Frefervative than
chewing a little Ginger in the Morning, then drinking
fome Wine, and afterwards chewing Zedoary the reft of
the Day. Droetus fl, a French Fhyfician , alfo tells us,
* Qbferv. de Feb. 149.
f De Bubon. Peftilent. Cap. 13.
il Confii. de Peft. cap. 10.
that
( 37 )
that there were fome Villains condemn’d to Death by
the Magiftrates of Lions for propagating the Plague,
who confefled when they came to die, that they ufed no
other Method to prefervethemfelves, than the eating of
a roafted Walnut .
If fuch a necejfary Predifpofition of the Body to receive
Infection be allowed, as there is all the Reafon in the
World to believe there fhould, it would be a Matter of
the greateft Moment to know what the contrary Difpo-
fitioji to that is, and the certain Means how to preferve
it : But feeing this is at prefent but guefs’d at, I fhall
advance what feems to come moft near it, and is moft
likely, and what is allowed on all hands to be fervice-
able 3 and that is, To keep the Mind as chearful , and the
Body as healthful as pojfSly ive can.
This I take to be the moft certain Prefervathe next
to that of flying from the Place where the Plague
rages.
The way to keep the Mind chearful, is not to be
over-anxious about worldly Matters or the Confequences
of Things, and to banifh from the Mind, as much as
may be, Fear , Anger , Hatred , Revenge , and all violent
Pa ssions of what kind foever.
As to keeping the Body healthful, every one fhould
ftudy what is agreeable to his own Conftitution 3 but a
Temperate Diet, Moderate Exerc'tfe, Reading aloud, or Sing-
‘mg and chearful Company may be ferviceable to all.
To which may be added, drinking Wine or other
ftrong Liquors moderately 3 but I except againft Brandy ,
and moft diftilled Waters, for their Effects are foon'
over, and the Dejection of Spirits is greater after than
before they are drank.
The Care of Clothing fhould at this time be more
than ever, for fear of hindring Infenjihle Perfpiration , or „
in other words, for fear of taking Cold 3 and for the fame
Reafon, Violent Motions and Exercifes ought to be avoid¬
ed, as well as ExceJ/es of all kinds.
As to the Medicinal Part , different Authors have re¬
commended different things 3 but I fhall recommend
thofe that have had moft Experience on their fide,
I do not know whether ore Reafon that the Winter
abates the Plague, may not be from the Quantity of ni¬
trous Particles that abound in it then 3 for if we may
believ6
( 38 >
believe Authors, Nitre has been found beneficial more
ways than one.
Hence there is little Reafon to doubt, but Nitre or
Salt-Petre diffoived in Vinegar , and evaporated in an
Earthen Pan over a Charcoal Fire in the middle of a
Room, would be of fervice to purify the Air. And for
the fame purpofe, Rue deeped in Vinegar , and differed
to fume away till the Moillure was chiefly gone, in the
lame manner as before, would doubtlefs be proper. In
either of which, if a little Camphire were added, fome
think it would be fo much the better 3 for Camphire has
the Praifes of mod, upon fuch Occafions.
The following Compofition is alfo recommended by
an Eminent Author.
Take Nitre, a Pound 5 Sulphur , four Ounces 5 Ben¬
zoin and Styrax as much as you pleafe : melt .to¬
gether, and form it into fmall Sticks, to throw
upon burning Coals when ufed.
As to Amulets , Quickfilver , Arfnick and Toads are mod:
remarkable. The afore-mentioned Droetus gives us an
Indance wherein Quickfilver has been found to be fuc-
cefsful hung about the Neck in a Walnut-Shell.
Some Italian Phyficians thought nothing of greater
Service than Arfnick carried about a Perfon 3 and allure
us, that not one that did fo died, as * Fijlorius in¬
forms us.
Thofe that ufe Toads either bore a hole through their
Heads, and fo hang them about their Necks , or make
Troches of them, as Helmont 3 or encompafs them with
Ifing-glafs, and fo hang them as before.
As to my own Opinion of the Matter, I can only fay,
that if thefe* as we are told, have been ferviceable,
’tis probable they may be fo again, and I fee no man¬
ner of harm in the Trial : I am apt to think, the Toad
will be the lead fancy’d of any of the three.
Before I come to Internal Prefervatives, I mud take
notice of one Caution by the way, That Perfons with
empty Stomachs have been more apt to receive Infection
than others 3 which diould be carefully avoided by all
that go near the Sick.
* Lib. de Peft. pag. 54.
Etm idler
( 39 )
Etmuller f tells us, that Juniper-Berries, Myrrh , Zedoa -
ry, are worth a thoufand other Compofitions , if ileeped
in good Vinegar, and taken by way of Prevention. A
little V enice-Treacle dilfolved in Vinegar, and || filtred, is
alfo excellent. You may alfo diffolve a little Camphire
in Wine, and add to fome Vinegar at pleaiure $ for Cam -
fhire will hardly dififolve in Vinegar. Sylvius * fays, that
when he ufed to vifit lick Perfons, he onlyufed to foak
fome foft Bread in a Spoonful of Wine-Vinegar, and ate
it in a Morning before he went to fee them. Some
commend Rhenijh Wine or a Draught of ftale Beer in a
Morning.
Acid or tart Fruits are alfo faid to be very good for
this Ufe, to be eaten fparingly now and then 5 fuch as
Citrons, Oranges, Pomegranates , Currants, Apples , &c.
I fhould have obferved before among!! the Externals,
that aSpunge dipt in Vinegar, and held to the Noflrils,
is of fervice 5 to which a little Camphire or Myrrh may
be added at pleafure : as alfo that a little Ginger or Ze-
doary Ileeped in Vinegar, and held in the Mouth or
chewed, is very beneficial.
Camphire, as I faid before, Hands recommended very
much in thefe Cafes 3 and where hot things are found
ferviceable, the following Compofition may not be im¬
proper.
Take Flowers of Sulphur three Drams j Myrrh two
Drams 5 Aloes a Dram j Saffron, Camphire, of each
half a Dram : mix and make a Powder, or with
the Pulp of Citrons make an Eletluary.
But, according to my Judgment, what I recommended
before is moH proper.
All violent Purges are to be forborn j for they, in-
Head of refrefhing, weaken the Body, and difiipate
the Spirits : But if it fhould appear that there is evi¬
dent Occafion for fuch fort of Phyficjt , the following
Form from Barbette will be proper.
t Etmuller. Opera, ubi de Pelle.
)1 Filtred, that is} f offered to run as mych as will through
IrozvTi Paper .
* Pag. 275.
Take
( 4© )
Take choice Rhubarb, a Dram and a half; Leaves
of Senna pick’d, two Drams 5 Cream of Tartar , a
Dram ; Roots of Viper -Grafs , half an Ounce 5
Anif e-Seeds , half a Dram ; boil in Carduus Bene¬
dict us Water : ftrain, and to three Ounces of the
Colature add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb , fix
Drams ; Spirit of Salt a little ; ConfeHio Alkermes
a Scruple : mix and make a Draught .
Or this 5
Take of Leaves of Senna an Ounce and a half ;
Mechoacan , half an Ounce 5 Zedoary, Citron-Reel,
Galangals , of each a Dram ; of the Cordial
Flowers a Pugil : pour on a fufficient Quantity, of
RhenifjjVine 5 let them (land a day, then ftrain,
of which take four Ounces,
Some number Iffues among ft the beft fort of Prefer-
vathes , amongft which are Hildanus , Riverius , Horjtius.
Ltndanus fays, that his Uncle was at Morocco at a time
when 85000 died of the Plague in five Weeks, and he
perfuaded a Jew, who was a Pbyjician , to make Iffues,
and they all of them efcaped but one, who refufed to
have one made : and moreover, Lindanus himfelf con¬
firms their Serviceablenefs, and adds, that thofe that
have Iffues feel a pricking Pain in them when they go
near the Info fled, which Hodges * alfo confirms.
I have not ventured to fay any thing by way of Re¬
commendation of the hotter fort of Antidotes , becaufe,as
Sydenham f obferves, if they were not follow’d by a
Sweat, they were generally noxious in the laft Plague
at London : therefore with this Caution I /hall giye you
one of that fort.
Take Zedoary two Drams ; Wormwood , Dittany of
Crete , of each half a Handful ; Water-Germander,
Carduus BenediBus , of each a Handful ; Citron-
Feel , half an Ounce'; Pimpernel Root , half an
Ounce ; Elecampane -Root, two Drams : let them
be cut into Bits, and tyed up in a Lumen Cloth,
and hung in Wine or Ale, of whicK a Draught is
to be drank after Breakfaft of at Dinner.
* Pag. 241. de Pefte.
t Pag. 132.
Some
( 4i )
Some have recommended the Ufe of Alf orients , fuch
as Bole Armoniac , Terra Si gill at a, Pearls, Coral , Crabs-Eyes ,
Crabs-Clazvs , and the like. Thofe who rely much upon
Amulets, may wear the following, as good as any. -
Take white Arfnick , half an Ounce 5 Orpiment, a
Dram and a half } Powder of Toads, two
Ounces 5 red Sanders , a Dram : with Mucilage of
Gam Tragacanth make an Amulet in the ufual
Form.
Before I take my leave of Prefervdthes, I’ll give you
as odd a one as 1 have read of. Lemnius * lays, his
Countrymen, that is, the Rufticks and meaner fort, take
Pieces of Skins , and Horns , and Bones fomething fre/h,
and ca ft them inro the Fire, and fume their Cottages and
Huts with them, and fo preierve themfelves from the
Plague. Perhaps this may help us to account for what
Palmarius j affirms to be true concerning the Leather-
Dreffers at Paris : Fdr he fays, that tho’ the Plague was
great, and they lived in the midft of the City, yet few
of them were infeded 5 and thinks the Smell that is
about their Houfes kept out the Plague: but fays, others
imagine they are fo ufed to ill Smells, that the Conta¬
gion could not affeft them 5 and adds, that the Clean -
fers of the Streets and Vaults and Hofpital Servants laugh
at and defpife it. A
Lemnius, whom I mention’d juft before, fays a Garri-
fon that lay in the Came of Tournay freed the Town
from a Peftilential Diftemper by firing the great Guns
Morning and Night. So much for Prefervatives.
But before I come to the Cure of thofe that are in-
fecled, it is proper to fay fomething of the ufual Signs
whereby we may know the Event of the Difeafe ? thos
you rauft take notice by the way, that the moft certain
Rules in this Cafe may fo me times prove fallacious.
If the Buboes or Tumors break out quickly, and the Br0gn$icu
Symptoms then remit, you may hope for a good Event.
A Plague with Buboes is the mildeft and leaft dangerous of
all 5 that with Carbuncles is next j but that with Spots is
the worft of all. The more Buboes there are, the bet-
* De Occult. Nat. Mirac. lib. 2, cap. io?
t De Feb. Peft. cap. 15.
F
ter j
I
Cure*
( 42 )
ter 5 the more Carbuncles , the wbrfe : Large Free Sweat ~
ing is^a good Sign j a cold Sweat is a bad, as likewife if
the Extremities of the Body are cold, particularly the
^he dropping of the l\:ofe is mortal. Tumors .
lying hid, portend Danger. It is a deadly Sign for Hic-
c upping to fucceed Buboes. Raving with fiery Eyes and a
dry Tongue is a bad Sign. If a .Carbuncle fucceed a Buboe ,
it is mortal. Carbuncles appearing on the Fingers are
dangerous, by reafon of the Tendons. It is better for
Tumors to appear befb're than after the Fever. For Tu¬
mors to be a little inflamed, is not very dangerous 5
but it a livid Circle furrounds them, it is dangerous.
If when a Mtflenng Ft after is . apply ’d, no Blifler is
railed, you may lately fay the Sick will not recover.
A Carbuncle with a Streak of yellow or red , is dangerous 5
but if the Streak grows white without the Decreafe of
the k ever, tnere is little Hope left. If Buboes in the
Neck, or behind the Ears, bring on Pains of the
I hi opt, anti Swallowing is hinder’d, without any nota¬
ble internal Inflammation 5 the Sick will fcarce live
fifteen or ftxteen Hours longer* A Remarkable Fever
without Anxiety of the Heart , is lefs dangerous than
.Anxiety or the Fie art without a Remarkable Fever. Some¬
times it happens that there are Carbuncles on the E'res
Batids or Stomach, without any Hopes of Recovery. Like-
wde if Carbuncles ' fhould happen on the Urinary Bladder ,
the Sick will die in very great Pain.
The chief Aim which Authors have had in the Cure,
has been to throw the Matter of Contagion out of the
Body 5 which Method Nature lee. ms to have fuggefled,
in endeavouring to expel the Poifon, as is evident from
the Buboes and Carbuncles : And for this purpofe they
haie agreed that Sweating is 1110ft proper. And Etmuller
would have no Sudorifck Cdmpofltion be given without
Samphire. Of which take the following Forms.
r^rcac^e"Brater fix Drams, or an Ounce }
Saffron , about as much as a Tea j Cam phi re, half
a Dram : mix.
To an adult rerfoh give all of it, to a younger half.
Another .
1 ake Fenice-Treacle, two Scruples ; Flowers of Sul-
phur, a Scruple 5 tdmphm , fifteen Grains: mix.
Give
( 4} )
Give it all to an infe£led Perfo.t, expelling a
Sweat.
Next to Camfhire , Spirit of Harts-horn given to a Dram,
is accounted excellent 5 of which * Hodges gives an In-
ftance. Ivy -Bernes given to a Dram in Wine, has been
obferved to be profitable. In the Management of the
Sick obierve the following Rules.
I. The Sweating Medicine is to be repeated every eight
Hours , that the Sick may Jzveat three times a day. While
there is a Rcmiffion of the Sweating, the Sick fhould
be fupply’d with comfortable acid Liquors : if Buboes ,
Carbuncles , or Spots appear with fome Eafe, Sweating is
to be continued. Regard is always to be had to the
Strength and Confiitution of the Sick, as to the Degree
of Sweating.
II. The Sick fJjould not be fujfered to fleep while he
fweats. If you find the Sick inclinable to deep, dip a
Spunge in a little Wine Vinegar , and hold to his Nofe >
if a little Samphire has been ditTolved in it, it will be
better.
III. While the Sick is fweating, take a Fenny-Loaf
hot out of the Oven, and cut off the bottom Cruft 5
make a little hole in the middle, and put in two Drams
of Venice-Treacle , and apply it to his Navel. The Loaf
is faid to draw out the Poifon.
IV. If the Sick is inclinable to be very wakeful, and
thence delirious , a little Laudanum fhould be added to
the Sudorifick Medicine, efpecially in the beginning, that
the Symptoms may abate, and after the Sweat is wiped
off, a refrefhing Sleep may follow : But note, in wiping
the Sick you muft take the greateft Precautions againft
the cold Air j and the Linnen that is ufecl fhould be
hot, and fumed with Sulphur , Amber , Franhncenfe, or
Myrrh.
V. The Plague is fometimes attended with a Burning
Fever 5 and then Venice-Treacle, or Mithridate, unlefs cor-
re£led with Acids, is not proper/
VI. Acids are never to be omitted: For they are to be
given with the Sweating Medicine in the Declination of
the Sweat, and after the Sweat is over, to refrefh the
F a
* Pag. 164, de Pefte,
Sick*
( 44 )
Sick. But on the other hand, you fhould take care
always to correct the Acids with fomething that is
Sudor i fck.
VII. Blifiering Tlafrers are ufed in the Plague with
good Succels : they may be laid to the Neck, Shoulders ,
or Calves of the Legg and even to the Buboes too with
profit. The following Compofition was ufed in the
great Plague at London.
Take of Tar five Ounces 5 Galhanum an Ounce $
Bees~Wax an Ounce and a half: melt them to¬
gether, and remove them from the Fire, and
then add Powder of Spanifl Flies an Ounce : old
Teajiy Seeds of Bijloop' s-U/eed, of each three
Drams 5 Euphorbium a Dram ? add a fufficient
Quantity of Vinegar of Squills 5 let them be well
mixed and incorporated till they are brought
into a Mafs for Plait ers.
The Part to which it is apply’d, fhould be firfl rubbed
till it is red 5 and after the Plafler is taken off, the
Sore fhould be kept running for lorne time : To that
end you may apply Melilot Plafler fpnnkled with Pow¬
der of Spanijh Flies. If an Inflammation fhould fol¬
low, you may apply Coleivort Leaves. But you are to
life thefe Plaflers to all indifferently, as where there is
Bleat or Incontinence of Urine , an Inflammation or Ulcera¬
tion of the Sphincter of the Bladder , or where there is
bloody Urine , or Women are with Child or near Menfirua-
tion7 or to very weak Patients, they are not to be ufed.
VIII. In the very beginning of the Difeafe, a Vomit
isfometimes fuccefsftil, the Poifon being yet in Pnmis
V'tis: But if the Sick is fo troubled with Vomitings that
it will not iuflfer him to retain any Medicines , then only
cover him with Clothes, and try to make him fweat
that way 5 which will flop his Vomiting , and put him in
a Condition to retain any thing.
IX. Blood-letting moil fay is hurtful, tho’ * Sydenham
\vould fain perfuade us to the contrary, and gives us a
Catalogue of the Authors that have voted for it. But
* Obferv.-Med. p. j ;g.
Partftts
( 45 )
Farms f tells us, that in the Tear 1 5^5 , when the
Plague raged throughout all France, Charles IX. being
upon a Journey to Bayonne, he diligently enquired of the
Fhyficians and Surgeons how F urging and Blood-letting fuc-
ceeded, who all anfwered with one Voice, that they
had obferved carefully, and all who had Blood taken
away freely, or were purged briskly, thenceforward
grew worfe, and afterwards died 5 and the reft, who
ufed only Alexiterials , almoft all efcaped. I could give
other Inftances of this kind, and fome to the contrary 5
fo that all we can conclude from it, is, that tho5 Blood¬
letting is generally bad, yet, in fome particular kinds of
this Diftempcr, it may be ufeful.
Before I have done with this Part, I will give you an
eafy camphorated Compofition, faid to be of great Ef¬
ficacy. Take of Sugar-candy three Drams 5 white Gin¬
ger two Drams 5 Camphire a Dram '•> make a Powder :
The Dofe a Dram 3 to be taken in any convenient Ve¬
hicle. As to the comfortable acid Liquors before men¬
tioned, they are varioufly compounded of the fimple
diftilled Waters of Sorrel , Scabious , Rofes , and the Jui¬
ces of acid Fruits , fuch as Citrons , Currants , Rafpberries ,
Mulberries , and Fomgranates , Syrups of the fame, and
Wine, and a few Drops of the Spirit of Vitriol, which
the Compounder muft fo manage, as to make them
grateful and agreeable. To make it cordial, fome add
Extratt of Sajfrctt 5 but it muft be only a few Grains 5
for to be over-hot, is contrary to the Intention : for which
reafon the Compound Waters are omitted, which are
prefcribed in ordinary Juleps.
I now come to give fome Rules concerning the re¬
lieving the Symptoms.
In curing Buboes, the Intentions are to draw out the
Poifon, to ripen them, and to cleanfe and heal them.
To draw out the Poifon, fome make ufe of Onions '
roaflcd, and mixed with white Mufiard-feed bruifed, and
apply it after the manner of a Fultice 5 others, inftead
of Miiftard-Seed, take Eetiice -Treacle, efpecially if the
Buboes are painful, which alfo helps to ripen them.
j De Pefte, cap. 24.
Dryed
( 4^ )
T> yed Toads leaked in Wine are laid to be very fervice-
able for this End, if apply'd to the Buboes when they
are foftened. Hogs-Greaftey mixed with roafted Onionsy
has been ufed with Succefs. Some take the following
T ah ice to be very good.
Take zvhite 'Lilly Roots and Roots of Marft.--MaUozvsy
of each two Ounces ? nu two or three 5 boil
in a iufficient Quantity of Oil or zvhite Lillies to
the Confidence of a Puitice , add fine SGot an
Ounce 5 Venice Soap fix Drams 5 Oil of frogs two
Drams 5 mix and make a Puitice.
When, by fuch means as thefe, the Buhoe is ready to
be opened, for it is dangerous to day for a perfedf Sup¬
puration, you mud either make ufe of a Lancet , or a
Potential Cautery 3 or, in the place of both, you may
ufe the following Piader from Hodges .
lake Em pi aft rum Or y croce urn three Ounces 3 drain-
ed Galbanum , Gum Car anna , of each an Ounce 3
Tar two Ounces 3 melt them together, and with
Oil of Camomile , or Lillies , make a Mafs for
Pi afters.
After the Euboe is opened any way, Balftam of Sulphur
with Turpentine mud be ufed mixed with Unguentum
Bafihcon and Vemcs-Treacle 3 over which put a Piader
of Diapompholygos , till the Ulcer be cleanfed and hea¬
led.
A Carbuncle being a ICortiji cation begun, the dr d Step
towards the Cure, is to dop the fpreading of it 3 for
which purpofe I need not mention any thing befides But¬
ter of Antimony * for if a Circle be made round the Car¬
buncle with this, it will not only hinder its Progrefs,
but caufe the mortified Part to fall out 3 after which
the Ulcer may be cleanfed and healed as that of the
Bubce. Some ufe drong Bliftering Plafters both to Bu¬
boes and Carbuncles , and afterwards heal them as be-,
fore.
As
( 47 )
As to any other Symptoms that may arife, they are
feldom fo much attended to, as to require a particular
Cure? nor indeed ought any thing to be given which
interferes with the main Intention of Cure: for if that
goes on fuccefsfully, the reft will all vanifh of courfe >
but if that be interrupted, relieving a prefent Com¬
plaint will be but a poor Satisfaction,.
F 1 N 1 s:
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